[9.0/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] This is a loony frickin’ episode, even before we reveal that there’s a secret military conspiracy. Having Bart and his school chums drafted into a boy band is already a little out there, and it’s not long before we’re verging into the “super liminal” and having crazed navy men hijacking aircraft carriers and going to blow up the Mad Magazine building.
But damnit, it’s funny! If you can tolerate the looser grip on reality that this era of the show has, this is a damn laugh-worthy episode, that nicely spoofs both boy bands and crazy military conspiracies. Whoever at The Simspons handled writing and performing the Party Posse’s songs did a pitch perfect jjob at walking the line between imitation and parody. The appearance by NSYNC is nicely self-deprecating (they deprecate old school!), and little touches like Skinner being treated as an obstacle when he’s fully in favor of their “inoffensive pop rock” is just as good.
Granted, there is a little throat-clearing in this one. The misadventures with the Spingfield marathon are pretty much a waste of time, and Homer’s also his full-blown captain wacky here.
Still, even the loony conspiracy stuff is pretty fun if you don’t take it too seriously. Lt. Smash is an amusing character in both his “faux-hip music producer” and “insane navy guy” guises, and Lisa uncovering the secret of “Yvan Eht Nioj” is a good beat.
Overall, if you can kick back and turn your brain off a little from the lunacy, this one is filled with laughs and even tells a surprisingly coherent story for such an out there premise. Definitely one of the better outings from Mike Scully’s tenure with the show.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParent2019-06-01T18:51:30Z
[9.0/10 on a post-classic Simpsons scale] This is a loony frickin’ episode, even before we reveal that there’s a secret military conspiracy. Having Bart and his school chums drafted into a boy band is already a little out there, and it’s not long before we’re verging into the “super liminal” and having crazed navy men hijacking aircraft carriers and going to blow up the Mad Magazine building.
But damnit, it’s funny! If you can tolerate the looser grip on reality that this era of the show has, this is a damn laugh-worthy episode, that nicely spoofs both boy bands and crazy military conspiracies. Whoever at The Simspons handled writing and performing the Party Posse’s songs did a pitch perfect jjob at walking the line between imitation and parody. The appearance by NSYNC is nicely self-deprecating (they deprecate old school!), and little touches like Skinner being treated as an obstacle when he’s fully in favor of their “inoffensive pop rock” is just as good.
Granted, there is a little throat-clearing in this one. The misadventures with the Spingfield marathon are pretty much a waste of time, and Homer’s also his full-blown captain wacky here.
Still, even the loony conspiracy stuff is pretty fun if you don’t take it too seriously. Lt. Smash is an amusing character in both his “faux-hip music producer” and “insane navy guy” guises, and Lisa uncovering the secret of “Yvan Eht Nioj” is a good beat.
Overall, if you can kick back and turn your brain off a little from the lunacy, this one is filled with laughs and even tells a surprisingly coherent story for such an out there premise. Definitely one of the better outings from Mike Scully’s tenure with the show.